Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar Edgar Rice Burroughs

is vast African estate, glimpsed the head of a column of men crossing the plain that lay between hisbungalow and the forest to the north and west. He reined in his horse and watched the little party as it emerged from a concealing swale. Hiskeen eyes caught the reflection of the sun upon the white helmet of a mounted man, and with theconviction that a wandering European hunter was seeking his hospitality, he wheeled his mount androde slowly forward to meet the newcomer. A half hour later he was mounting the steps leading to the veranda of his bungalow, andintroducing M. Jules Frecoult to Lady Greystoke."I was completely lost," M. Frecoult was explaining. "My head man had never before been inthis part of the country and the guides who were to have accompanied me from the last village wepassed knew even less of the country than we. They finally deserted us two days since. I am veryfortunate indeed to have stumbled so providentially upon succor. I do not know what I should havedone, had I not found you."It was decided that Frecoult and his party should remain several days, or until they werethoroughly rested, when Lord Greystoke would furnish guides to lead them safely back into countrywith which Frecoult's head man was supposedly familiar. In his guise of a French gentleman of leisure, Werper found little difficulty in deceiving his hostand in ingratiating himself with both Tarzan and Jane Clayton; but the longer he remained the lesshopeful he became of an easy accomplishment of his designs.